Race Report:

Been meaning to write this RR for awhile...

I registered for this race 2 days before it closed while I was on vacation with my family on Fenwick Island. I was looking for another olympic length event to add to my season as I prepped for Chesapeakeman on 9/29. DITR fit in nicely and many had nice things to say about it.

Returned home from Fenwick the night before the race and drove up race morning. I swear it was 90 degrees at 5am that day. The temp in the bay was 87 degrees for the swim.

Swim: (29:42) 54/182

The swim is a full mile and in an odd diamond shape so as to fit the race name. I wore my swim skin, and about half way through the swim wished I hadn't. I was staring up at the sun beating down on me and felt like I was over-heating. I slowed considerably at this point and ruined the really good start I had. My overall swim time was not that bad for me considering it was a hike up about 50 stairs to land and then a tenth of a mile run to transition before I crossed the timing mat. I was just happy to get the swimskin off.

Bike: (1:24:31) 39/182

Rolled right out of the park and was prepared for a hilly and technical course. About a mile in, I followed 3 riders as they took a right turn. I heard a volunteer yell, but thought she was warning us of the loose gravel at the turn. I passed the three in front of me and came to the next intersection. Nothing. No race directions, arrows, volunteers... nothing. I went right for some reason, not sure of what to do, and then looked behind me and saw the three racers I had passed turing around. Then it hit me... wrong way, and that was what the volunteer had been yelling at me earlier. Turned around, pissed off, and headed back. Passed the same three riders again and watched ahead of me as racer afer racer after racer proceeded straight where I had not. In checking my garmin after the race, I added 1.8 miles and almost 7 minutes to my bike time. Definitely a good idea when it's already 100 degrees out.

I spent the next 10 miles cursing to myself and passing riders I should never have seen to begin with. On top of that, I was trying out the Aero Hammock betwen my aero bars and everytime I replaced my bottle back in it, it hit my garmin lap button and pushed the hammock over my garmin so I could see it. As a result, I couldn't read my stats nor track distance... plus there were no mile markers on the bike course.

With 7 miles in the bike to go, my shifter failed and came completely loose. The chain dropped to the smallest cog, leaving me in the hardest gear. I could pull it up with tension and hold on to it, but it would slip from gear to gear. It was insane! Luckily, most of the hills were behind me, so I held on the best I could. Finally made it back to the park and yelled to my friend, "I went the wrong way and my freakin' bike is broken!"

He replied, "I don't care right now! Run!" I always appreciate his support.

Run: (36:14) 16/182

It's a 5 mile run and from the start I loved it. I was incredibly overheated from the bike. I couldn't drink a thing the last seven miles of the bike as I held on for dear life to my broken shifter. Exiting T2, I grabbed water and possibly the coldest towel ever. It felt awesome! They had these at every aid station along the route.

It was a quick out and back of the park with a quick part through a neighborhood. I passed at least three in my AG during the run... one who was sporting a cowboy hat and no shoes. Interesting...

I finished strong, grabbed a cold towel, and commandeered the make-shift shower they had rigged into a tree. There was also an ice bin you could stand in. Heaven. I give Pirahna a lot of credit for how they accounted for the heat... now just add more volunteers at the intersections on the bike course so a certain few don't go the wrong way...

I was eager to see my result considering what had happened on the bike. I came in 3rd and 2nd would have certainly been within reach without mishap. I was just happy for 3rd though!

It was great to see MMTC there... and cheer on Hector and Lisa Farias in their AG wins.

A tough race in many ways... air temp measured in at 104 when we left.